If any of the three (3) selected hot players (announced pre-game) score a goal during that night's game, fans can redeem their free GameNight program coupon(page 20) for 50% off their entree tomorrow, at all participating Moe's restaurants. If any of the three (3) selected hot players score a hat trick during that night's game, fans can also redeem their free GameNight program for a free burrito at all participating Moe's restaurants.

SUBWAY SCORE 3 OR MORE

If the Sabres score three (3) or more goals during tonight's game, fans can redeem their game ticket for a free 6" Subway sub with a purchase of 30oz. drink tomorrow only at participating Subway restaurants.

NEW ERA CAP TRICK

Each time a Sabres player scores a hat trick inside First Niagara Center, New Era will make a monetary donation to charity per cap thrown onto the ice. Any hats thrown onto the ice and not claimed will be donated as well.

NEW ERA SCORE MORE

For every goal scored by the Sabres at that night’s game, fans can save a dollar per goal on their purchase of any cap tomorrow at the New Era Buffalo Store when they show their ticket stub.

The Sabres are 4-4-2 in their last 10 games vs. the Islanders; 6-3-1 at home.

This is the 147th game all-time between Buffalo and NY Islanders; Buffalo leads the series with a 71-53-22 record; 40-22-11 at home.

STORYLINES

Pominville

Vanek

The Sabres enter tonight’s game looking to string together two home wins for the first time since home wins on Nov. 8 and Nov. 11. It would also be the team’s first two-game win streak since those home wins wrapped up a four-game run from Nov. 4 to Nov. 11.

A total of eight rookies have seen action in the blue and gold this season (eight skaters and two goaltenders). Buffalo’s total number of rookies in 2011-12 is second only to Philadelphia (10) and the Sabres’ 29 points (12+17) from rookies tied the Flyers’ rookies for most in the league entering play Monday.

Jason Pominville leads all Sabres with 21 points (5+16) in 21 games against the Islanders. He had six points (1+5) in four games against the Isles last year.

Pominville and Thomas Vanek have been the most prolific duo in the NHL this season, combining on 21 of the Buffalo’s 65 goals.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOWThomas Vanek has scored the first goal of a game five times, tying Mike Richards for the league lead… Jason Pominville has 35 points (13+22) in his last 32 regular season games, dating back to Mar. 25, 2011 vs. FLA… Rookie Luke Adam has five multi-point games, one off the team lead (Vanek - 6) and second-most by a rookie entering play Monday.

SABRES AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS (Sabres’ league rankings before 11/28 games)

Vanek: 6 PPG (T-1st), 3 GWG (T-4th), 26 P (T-4th), 12 G (T-6th)

Pominville: 25 P (T-6th), 16 A (T-7th)

Adam: 16 P (T-2nd, rookies), 8 G (3rd, rookies), 8 A (4th, rookies)

Gragnani: 7 A (T-5th, rookies)

FAMILIAR FACESIslanders RW Brian Rolston, the younger brother of Rochester Americans Head Coach Ron Rolston, played with Jordan Leopold and Ryan Miller on the 2006 US Olympic Team. Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro was also on the 2006 squad, which finished in eighth place in Torino.

Enroth

MacIntyre

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHTIncluding goaltenders Jhonas Enroth and Drew MacIntyre, eight different rookies have seen action with the Sabres this year. Only Philadelphia has had more rookies dress (10). Entering play Monday, the Sabres tied the Flyers for the most points by rookies (29).

DYNAMIC DUOIncluding goaltenders Jhonas Enroth and Drew MacIntyre, eight different rookies have seen action with the Sabres this year. Only Philadelphia has had more rookies dress (10). Entering play Monday, the Sabres tied the Flyers for the most points by rookies (29) despite having four fewer rookie skaters, with a combined 30 fewer games played.

Vanek

MR. CONSISTENTThomas Vanek has scored 47 points (21+26) in his last 40 regular season games, dating back to Mar. 5. During that stretch, Vanek has gone two games without recording a point only one time. Entering play Monday, Vanek’s 21 goals during that period trailed only Corey Perry (29) and Patrick Marleau (22), and his 47 points trailed only Perry and Daniel Sedin (48 each).

SPECIAL FORCESEntering Monday night’s games, Buffalo’s penalty kill was ranked fifth in the league at 88.4% and their power play was ranked eighth at 19.3%, joining Vancouver as the only other team ranked in the top eight in both. The Sabres’ points percentage is 11.2% higher when they score at least one power play goal and 34.9% higher when scoring at least twice.

A BUSY NOVEMBERThe Sabres are 7-5-1 so far in November. The team will play 14 games this month -- tying December for second-most in a month this season –including nine home games (ties February for most in a month). However, Buffalo did not have any stretches of more than two games either at home or on the road for the entire month.

Getty Images

LINDY’S LONGEVITYSince Lindy Ruff was named Buffalo's head coach on July 21, 1997, there have been 166 coaching changes in the NHL. After Tony LaRussa announced his retirement on Oct. 31, Ruff became the second-longest tenured coach in the four major professional sports leagues. Only Gregg Popovich, who began coaching the San Antonio Spurs in 1996, has been head coach of his team longer.

THE ARBOUR CLUBLindy Ruff has 539 wins as head coach of the Sabres, second-most by a head coach with a single franchise, trailing only Al Arbour (740). Ruff has more wins than any other coach with his first NHL team.

Have an idea for a song that you want to hear at a Sabres game? Let us know what it is by sending us a tweet. Send us a message at @SabresDotCom with a hashtag of #SABRETUNES before 12:00 p.m. on a game day and we'll try to get it into the playlist for that night's game.